As the day dawns: the first round of our mobile patrol
It is still dark when security guard Rachid starts his car in a deserted industrial park in the Drechtsteden region. While most people are still turning over in bed, he drives between empty parking spaces and dark offices. For him, this is the start of a new round. A routine that never quite becomes routine, because every morning can bring something unexpected. His task is clear: to ensure that dozens of employees will soon be able to start their workday safely and without worry.
This is the first part of our blog series, "The Quiet Power of Mobile Surveillance." In three consecutive blog posts, we’ll take you behind the scenes of our security guards’ daily work, their role in business continuity, and the power of community ties. Today, we’re focusing on the opening round: the moment when it all begins.
The unexpected just around the corner
When Rachid opens the first doors, he never knows exactly what he’ll find. Sometimes it’s just a window that was smashed during the night, a door that isn’t closed properly, or a group of young people who have sought shelter in a doorway. Whatever it is, his intervention makes an immediate difference. A broken window is repaired before opening hours, so employees can get on with their work as usual. To the client, it looks as if nothing happened—and that’s exactly the point.
Yet this work sometimes takes on a much heavier burden. Rachid still vividly remembers how, in 2024, a colleague came across a seriously injured man during her opening rounds at the Maritime Museum in Rotterdam. The victim had been severely beaten and was lying unconscious, with a paving stone on his head. That discovery had a huge impact, not only on the victim and society, but also on the security guard herself. Moments like these make it clear that mobile surveillance is not just about buildings, but also about people and situations you can never predict.
It is precisely during those early hours, when a location and its immediate surroundings are most vulnerable, that security guards serve as an invisible safety net. They notice details that others miss and intervene before problems escalate into disruptions or security risks.
Always have a Plan B: continuity guaranteed
Not every morning goes smoothly. Sometimes Rachid gets stuck in traffic and is in danger of being late for his first round of checks. Fifty employees facing a locked door—that scenario must be avoided. That’s why SERIS has a backup plan. Several patrol cars carry keys and alarm codes. Using GPS, the nearest colleague is automatically called in to take over.
For Rachid, this means he can always count on his team. As soon as a delay looms, the traffic controllers coordinate immediately. Because they must follow traffic rules—they drive without flashing lights or sirens—the emphasis is on teamwork and thinking ahead. For clients, this means that processes never come to a standstill. SERIS ensures continuity, not by chance, but through organization and collaboration.
Drechtsteden: a region steeped in history
As Rachid continues his rounds, he drives through an area that is more than just a work zone for SERIS. The Drechtsteden region is where our roots lie. More than a century ago, our legal predecessor, the Algemene Nacht Veiligheids Dienst (ANVD), began with a simple yet crucial task: lighting the streetlamps in Dordrecht. This not only brought light to the streets but also fostered our commitment to safety at night.
Today, Rachid carries on that tradition in a modern form. Twelve patrol cars operate daily from our headquarters in Dordrecht and our base in Barendrecht. As a result, we not only maintain a strong presence in the Drechtsteden, but are also well represented in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region. Our patrol officers know the industrial parks by name, know exactly which access roads get congested during rush hour, and recognize the spots where troublemakers like to hang out at night. Whether it’s the quays in Dordrecht, the logistics centers in Zwijndrecht, or a shopping district in Barendrecht: Rachid and his colleagues know what’s going on and who to contact if something goes wrong.
That local knowledge makes our team fast and effective. Where a national company might still be searching for the right point of contact, our supervisor immediately connects with the site manager, the local police station, or the regular glazier on call at night. This means a broken window in Dordrecht is replaced before opening hours, or in the event of a malfunction in Sliedrecht, a technician is already on site before the client even realizes there’s a problem.
As the day dawns: the first round of our mobile patrol
It is still dark when security guard Rachid starts his car in a deserted industrial park in the Drechtsteden region. While most people are still turning over in bed, he drives between empty parking spaces and dark offices. For him, this is the start of a new round. A routine that never quite becomes routine, because every morning can bring something unexpected. His task is clear: to ensure that dozens of employees will soon be able to start their workday safely and without worry.
This is the first part of our blog series, "The Quiet Power of Mobile Surveillance." In three consecutive blog posts, we’ll take you behind the scenes of our security guards’ daily work, their role in business continuity, and the power of community ties. Today, we’re focusing on the opening round: the moment when it all begins.
The unexpected just around the corner
When Rachid opens the first doors, he never knows exactly what he’ll find. Sometimes it’s just a window that was smashed during the night, a door that isn’t closed properly, or a group of young people who have sought shelter in a doorway. Whatever it is, his intervention makes an immediate difference. A broken window is repaired before opening hours, so employees can get on with their work as usual. To the client, it looks as if nothing happened—and that’s exactly the point.
Yet this work sometimes takes on a much heavier burden. Rachid still vividly remembers how, in 2024, a colleague came across a seriously injured man during her opening rounds at the Maritime Museum in Rotterdam. The victim had been severely beaten and was lying unconscious, with a paving stone on his head. That discovery had a huge impact, not only on the victim and society, but also on the security guard herself. Moments like these make it clear that mobile surveillance is not just about buildings, but also about people and situations you can never predict.
It is precisely during those early hours, when a location and its immediate surroundings are most vulnerable, that security guards serve as an invisible safety net. They notice details that others miss and intervene before problems escalate into disruptions or security risks.
Always have a Plan B: continuity guaranteed
Not every morning goes smoothly. Sometimes Rachid gets stuck in traffic and is in danger of being late for his first round of checks. Fifty employees facing a locked door—that scenario must be avoided. That’s why SERIS has a backup plan. Several patrol cars carry keys and alarm codes. Using GPS, the nearest colleague is automatically called in to take over.
For Rachid, this means he can always count on his team. As soon as a delay looms, the traffic controllers coordinate immediately. Because they must follow traffic rules—they drive without flashing lights or sirens—the emphasis is on teamwork and thinking ahead. For clients, this means that processes never come to a standstill. SERIS ensures continuity, not by chance, but through organization and collaboration.
Drechtsteden: a region steeped in history
As Rachid continues his rounds, he drives through an area that is more than just a work zone for SERIS. The Drechtsteden region is where our roots lie. More than a century ago, our legal predecessor, the Algemene Nacht Veiligheids Dienst (ANVD), began with a simple yet crucial task: lighting the streetlamps in Dordrecht. This not only brought light to the streets but also fostered our commitment to safety at night.
Today, Rachid carries on that tradition in a modern form. Twelve patrol cars operate daily from our headquarters in Dordrecht and our base in Barendrecht. As a result, we not only maintain a strong presence in the Drechtsteden, but are also well represented in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region. Our patrol officers know the industrial parks by name, know exactly which access roads get congested during rush hour, and recognize the spots where troublemakers like to hang out at night. Whether it’s the quays in Dordrecht, the logistics centers in Zwijndrecht, or a shopping district in Barendrecht: Rachid and his colleagues know what’s going on and who to contact if something goes wrong.
That local knowledge makes our team fast and effective. Where a national company might still be searching for the right point of contact, our supervisor immediately connects with the site manager, the local police station, or the regular glazier on call at night. This means a broken window in Dordrecht is replaced before opening hours, or in the event of a malfunction in Sliedrecht, a technician is already on site before the client even realizes there’s a problem.
Collaborating with supply chain partners
When Rachid finds a broken window at night, he doesn’t just report it. He assesses the situation, contacts the dispatch center, and knows that the right people will be on their way within minutes. The glazier is on his way, the police document the situation, and the client receives a reassuring phone call. While the city is still asleep, a network that works seamlessly together is operating in the background.
At times like these, it becomes clear that mobile surveillance isn’t a one-man show. Rachid serves as the linchpin, coordinating between the client, the police, suppliers, and the control room. For the business owner or facility manager, this means that when they arrive in the morning, there’s no chaos or police report waiting for them—just a brief update: everything has already been taken care of.
No two days are the same
Although Rachid follows a set routine for his morning rounds, no two mornings are the same. One day he opens a quiet, dark office; the next, a healthcare facility where the staff are already there early, or a logistics center where trucks are waiting.
The circumstances are always different. Sometimes he finds a window that’s still open or an alarm system that hasn’t been activated. Other times, there’s an unknown person at the entrance or an access gate has been damaged. Every situation calls for a different approach, from calling in technical support to securing the location. It is precisely this variety that makes his work crucial. For employees, it goes without saying that a building is safe and open, but behind the scenes, it is Rachid’s keen eye that makes this possible every morning.
Opening Round: Continuity and Certainty
The core of mobile surveillance is not intervention, but the day-to-day prevention of disruptions. By identifying anomalies early on and addressing them immediately, our clients’ business operations remain unaffected.
This is how Rachid wraps up his morning rounds, as the morning light falls over the parking lots and employees begin their workday. To them, everything seems routine, but behind the scenes, he is the quiet force ensuring a safe start to the day. He then drives on to the next location, where yet another situation, another risk, and another client await. Often unseen, but always crucial.
In the next blog post in this series, we’ll take you through the final part of the day: the closing round. Because the moment the lights go out and the doors close behind the last employee is also crucial for safety and business continuity.
